Galactosidase Alpha (GLa)

Alpha-galactosidase is a glycoside hydrolase enzyme that hydrolyses the terminal alpha-galactosyl moieties from glycolipids and glycoproteins. It is encoded by the GLA gene. This enzyme is a homodimeric glycoprotein that hydrolyses the terminal alpha-galactosyl moieties from glycolipids and glycoproteins. It predominantly hydrolyzes ceramide trihexoside, and it can catalyze the hydrolysis of melibiose into galactose and glucose. A variety of mutations in this gene affect the synthesis, processing, and stability of this enzyme, which causes Fabry's disease, a rare lysosomal storage disorder and sphingolipidosis that results from a failure to catabolize alpha-D-galactosyl glycolipid moieties. Genzyme produces synthetic agalsidase beta under the brand name Fabrazyme for treatment of Fabry's disease.